AR, VR, MR are the next big move for the sports industry

Sports fans are now technology enabled with smart handheld devices and gadgets. The audience expects an experience that lets them interact with their favorite team and players. The sports world has now awakened to a world full of technocrat audience, providing them with entertainment needs to be solution based. New approaches and technologies are incorporated with much ado to experience.
Right from the “Live cricket” we watch and the augmented scoreboards on the ground are all related to technology.

Thanks to the HD LED screens that are being innovated by manufacturers, various dimensions are provided and features are focused enough to let fans be part of the sports in a various way. Right from interacting with the screen through a smartphone as well as make them feel be on the field with players. But now that audiences have a taste of an immersive, participatory viewing experience, they want more.

The rise of augmented reality solutions from Immersive Gaze

We focus on providing solutions that are future-focused. Using AR/VR and Mixed reality technology we are consistently testing new solutions to better the fan experience. Innovations in technology are now possible through Head-mounted devices like HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Microsoft Hololens.

Immersive Gaze can develop AR applications that can provide deeper data to the audience as they watch players play on-field. AR apps can provide data of any player and instantly integrate it to the live data to provide “intelligent” data. Fans in the stadium can use their mobile devices to instantly obtain a comprehensive picture of each player’s statistics.

By simply pulling up the app and pointing their mobile devices toward the field, the app populates the user’s mobile screen with individual player profiles, including arm strength and catch probability in addition to staples like, on base percentage and batting averages.

The experience doesn’t stop there. For those fans determined to take stock of every play on the field, the app also allows them to follow the speed and trajectory of every single hit.

VR devices are wifi enabled which allows us to live stream or broadcast every single game in VR. The integration is so fast and easy, which gives a new breath into the fan experience. Individual experience in VR is close to reality and better than imagination.

What’s next

Apart from leagues and various sports association that have the opportunity to proactively develop new fan experiences–individual organizations can, and should, take the initiative to find new ways to give back to their fans through augmented reality.

Enhancing fan experience in-turn propels the growth of sports industry. Augmented Reality application development can create platforms that drive innovation and support individual organization. New players to the market can be analyzed well by organizations that help them to take quick and effective decisions. We can build AR stat apps that could allow fans to take a closer look at player’s stats, and see the field more comprehensively. Here’s how:

A fan downloads the augmented application prior to heading into the stadium and is greeted with a pre-matchup video.

Upon entering the stadium they receive a push notification with a GPS coordinate telling them how to get to the first AR experience which is a poster on the right side of the stadium. They hover over the poster and see a video from their favorite player.

Once the fan has reached his seat, he opens up the program and hovers over each player’s picture to see an overview of their career stats.

They flip to the back of the game program, hover over an image with the application and view a season highlight reel, complete with a direct call-to-action to purchase new team merchandise.

This is just an example of how an in-game augmented reality app could enhance a fan’s experience. But the fan experience is not simply relegated to sports teams and professional leagues. Brand advertisers of sports teams and events can get in on the action and devise augmented platforms that also heighten experiences for fans and consumers.

For example, within a promotion featured in an event pamphlet, a brand can advise fans to download their augmented application and hover over the add to unlock special deals.

Regardless of how organizations apply augmented reality, one thing is for certain: consumers want to feel more engaged with the teams and brand they love. Augmented experiences are quickly going to become the norm. If you don’t want to fall behind in relevancy, it’s time to explore how you can bring your brand to life through augmented initiatives.